Phillips Racing
Newsletter Review
About ALL-WaysTM
Phillips
Racing Newsletter Review and Rating of ALL-WaysTM
ALL-Ways receives a rating of 9 1/2 ... the highest rating ever given by PRN to any handicapping software!
For decades, the Phillips Racing Newsletter has been the watchdog for horse racing fans over handicapping software, books, systems, etc. They regularly review these handicapping products and rate them on a scale of one to ten. PRN has never awarded any handicapping product a 10 rating. In July of 1996, PRN conducted extensive live handicapping tests of ALL-Ways at tracks on both the east and west coasts. Based on the results of these tests and their overall evaluation of ALL-Ways, PRN awarded ALL-Ways a 9 1/2 rating which is the highest rating they have given to any handicapping product ..... ever.
The following is a reprint of the complete PRN review of ALL-Ways.
"All-Ways 5.0 Standard and Professional Editions":
This computer handicapping tool by Frandsen Publishing is for IBM compatibles, 486 or better with 8Mb RAM preferred. Windows and a modem are required, as it utilizes downloaded data and results files. A very well written and thorough 115+ page Users Manual makes it easy to install, learn, and use the program.
As the name suggests ALL-Ways provides a cornucopia of more than 70 handicapping factors (speed, class, pace, form, trainer/jockey, and pedigree) calculated from the past performances as well as those available from Bloodstock Research Information Services (BRIS). Besides the great BRIS speed/pace/class/pedigree/jockey/trainer ratings, ALL-Ways includes many viable factors from popular handicapping literature such as: the early Sartin Methodology pace ratings published in Modern Pace Handicapping by Tom Brohamer and Pace Makes the Race; Tom Hambleton's Form Points; Quirin Speed Points and Race Shapes; William Scott's Ability Time from Investing at the Racetrack and Scott's PCR factor from Total Victory at the Track. The most notable new factors in ALL-Ways are the Hall speed and pace ratings which relate directly to the BRIS race ratings, and can be used to establish a horse's ability to run to par. A workout evaluation index, stretch gain performance index, and a comprehensive rating composed of 22 factors are also notable additions. For factors requiring a paceline, ALL-Ways uses the most recent race of the last 5 run at today's distance and surface - if no such race exists it uses the last race. Races can be handicapped automatically using either the default handicapping profiles that come with the software or profiles created and tested by the user. Profiles may contain up to 10 different handicapping factors (Plus3/5 users will be familiar with these).
ALL-Ways calculates its own updated pars and keeps track of daily track variants, race shapes, and track profiles by processing the BRIS data files for each day's races. A set of par history files is included to get you started. The Standard Edition contains 10 different handicapping reports:
Contender Summary and Exacta Matrix
Paceline/Oddsline
All Factors
Past Performance
Bias and Jockey/Trainer
Suitability and Pedigree
Form by the Numbers
Pace Past Performance
Dangerous Non-Contender List
On Screen Report (can be displayed on computer screen)
Other reports available in the Standard Edition include a Brohamer Track Model, and three different analysis reports: TOP 3 analysis of every factor with separate reports for win, place, and show; IMPACT VALUES and ROI for every factor; DB (database) analysis of the performance of handicapping profiles including a detailed analysis of exacta, trifecta, and Pick3 combinations. These reports can easily be screened to contain statistics on certain types of races such as allowance, claiming, maiden, sprints, routes, dirt, turf, purse levels, etc.; and are essential to finding the important factors and creating winning profiles for your track.
ALL-Ways comes with: an integrated TOOLBOX module for unzipping data files, deleting races from the database, and making backup files to floppy disk; and an integrated COMMUNICATIONS module for downloading data files from BRIS. Overall, it is a very complete handicapping tool that provides flexibility via a good amount of user programmable features.
The Professional Edition, as expected, contains even more. It allows you to handicap using three different profiles at once - an excellent, useful feature. Additional handicapping reports include: Oddsline, Form Graphs and the All Pace reports. The printout of Track Pars, Track Variants (compared to DRF), Quirin Race Shapes, and a very detailed Track Bias Profile are also exclusive to the Professional Edition, as is a 56 page "White Paper" detailing strategies for creating and using handicapping profiles. Copy protection for the Professional Edition requires a small hardware "dongle" attached to the computer printer port.
I tested ALL-Ways during one tough spring month covering 169 races at one of my favorite East Coast tracks where conditions varied from fast to sloppy depending on the weather. The default profile for dirt sprints produced 32% top pick winners over 104 sprint races (including maidens) with a profit of 23%. The default dirt route profile produced 28% top pick winners over 65 races and essentially broke even. However, the dirt route maiden profile came up with 32% wins over all route races , showing a small 3% profit. During the test I also created profiles for both high and low class races at various distances utilizing information from the Top 3 analysis reports. Not surprisingly, my results with dirt routes were better than those of the default profiles, and the higher class races were especially good for me. However, the power of the default profiles should not be overlooked. For example, a weekend warrior acquaintance provided statistics showing that the dirt sprint profile was producing 40% winners on top (21% ROI) and 60% in the top two (18% ROI) on fast dirt sprints at a major west coast track. (Note that profits were a little higher when maiden races were removed from the analysis.) At this same West Coast track, the default dirt route profile produced 39% top winners (22% ROI all routes / 36% ROI non-maiden routes) for fast dirt route races with 60% wins in the top two picks (24% ROI).
After my test was completed, I received the results of a recent survey of ALL-Ways Professional Edition users conducted by Frandsen Publishing. It indicated that 89% of users were profitable, with 52% reporting win and exotic betting ROIs of over 20%, and 22% reporting ROIs of over 40%. These claims are very reasonable and in line with the test results noted above. The software and support were also highly rated in the survey, a sentiment with which I agree.
While the default and homemade profiles available for automatic handicapping with ALL-Ways can be profitable, the power of individual factors is also important and should be explored by dedicated users. For example, in my test, 81% of fast track routes were won by a horse with a top three Bris Class rating, while 40% were won by the top Hall Speed 2/3 rating. Furthermore, 34% sprint winners had the best Hall Speed rating. Factor analysis can be even more productive when you identify the proper class categories at your track. Here's a small sample for fast track: Allowance sprints = 50% wins with top BRIS CMB 2/3 rating, 78% wins in top three Hall Speed Last Race; Allowance routes = 85% winners in top BRIS Speed 2/3, BRIS EP 2/3, and Str Gain 4/5 while the top BRIS Class showed 54% wins. I have had great respect for the BRIS and Sartin factors for many years, and the new Hall ratings favorably impressed me during the test. An analysis of rating factors can lead you to creating better profiles, or for those so inclined, the factors can be used separately and in combination as a means of personal handicapping - an approach which has worked well for me. It's really a matter of personal preference, and ALL-Ways provides the flexibility to allow you to develop the approach that suits you best. For those that don't enjoy or excel at picking pacelines, this program doesn't require that type of input, so it may be the tool of choice for those so inclined to do away with that chore.
In summary, I must say that ALL-Ways is an easy to use but sophisticated handicapping tool that provides great flexibility in the number of handicapping factors, printed reports, and utilities it provides to the serious or professional handicapper. In fact, I must apologize for not being able to mention every ALL-Ways feature in this review - There's just too many! The speed and ease of handicapping makes it of special interest to simulcast players who play more than one track per day. The Standard Edition is absolutely the best "free" handicapping tool on the market! It is available from BRIS (shipping charge $6.95), while the Professional Edition is only available from Frandsen Publishing ($895). I suggest that handicappers work with the Standard Edition to learn the program, and then upgrade when win percentage and profits encourage you to do so.
Note that costs for the BRIS data have been significantly reduced. Data files are $7 each (a 50% discount) when you become a BRIS Gold Member, minimum $100 purchase per month. If you download just 13 race files per month plus the BRIS Early Track Program ($1 ea.) or ETD file ($0.50 ea.), which contain the morning line, you would meet the minimum. Results files that can be automatically processed by ALL-Ways are "free". Considering that a Racing Form/Track Program costs about $5 or more per day, the extra few dollars are quite reasonable for what you get.
BRIS, PO Box 4097, Lexington, Kentucky 40544 (800) 354 9206
Frandsen Publishing, PO Box 1439, Minnetonka MN 55345 (602) 937
9180
In his cover letter, our reviewer suggested a 9.5 rating for ALL-Ways, and we will go along with that as it has just about everything for computer players.
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